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Topic: What does 'Holiday/s' mean? (Read 5183 times)

Years ago I was confused when my British co-worker George would say he'd be on holiday next week, but British co-worker Betty would be at work during that same time. Of course, Betty and George were confused why we all took so many one day "holidays" and all at the same time. We were all happy to learn it was terminology causing the confusion.

For scheduled time-off-work or school, the two terms are used interchangeably. For example, a memo from HR might state "holiday requests for the rest of this year must be submitted by xxx date" and everyone knows that HR means the weeks that employees are asking for time off (vacation), as opposed to those who are asking for statutory-holidays off.

I don't hear many people here referring to the late-fall weeks as "the holidays" (probably because our Thanksgiving is earlier) but the "holiday season" is generally figured to be the time around Christmas/New Year's Day.

A funny off topic story for you. When my niece was a baby her family lived in Mozambique. One day her Dad took her for a walk and they met another Dad and his baby. "What is your baby's name?" asked the man "Jessie" said my BIL. The man roared with laughter because a jessie is a jersey or sweater over there. "Well" said my BIL "what is your son's name?" "Cupoftea" said the man.

The word with the "j" -- in those parts, shouldn't it be "malha" (Portuguese)? (Just being a smart-alec )

In general, "the holidays" is the time between Thanksgiving at the end of November to New Year's Day.

"Have a happy holiday!" or "Happy Holidays!" are generic greetings/sayings when you don't know what religious holiday someone celebrates, Christmas or Hanukkah or the Winter Solstice or nothing at all. Most people in the US celebrate Thanksgiving and New Years, so it tends to fit a variety of people without offending.

"Tomorrow is a holiday," usually refers to a day off from work, one of the scheduled Federal holidays, such as Christmas or Labor Day or the Fourth of July.

However, having several days off work, when you might go somewhere else, is a "vacation." Most jobs allow employees two weeks of vacation a year, sometimes more the longer you work there. When school lets out for the summer, it's "summer vacation." There's a short gap for schools, usually a week, when they are closed for Christmas and New Year's. When I was a kid, that was Christmas vacation. Now it is usually called "winter vacation" or something similar.

This ^

In general people in the US don't "go on holiday" or have a "summer holiday" from school - that's "vacation". A holiday is a specific date (Christmas, 4th of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving), when plural its usually referring to close together specific dates - Thanksgiving/Christmas/Chanukah/New Years are often squished into being called "holidays" as one solid group ("what are you doing for the holidays?" "happy holidays" "holiday meal planning" etc). It can also mean Easter/Passover ("any holiday plans for the weekend?") when speaking to someone who's religion you aren't familiar with.

We do have minor holidays, like Presidents Day, and major ones like Memorial Day and some are Federal holidays (Veteran's Day) where really only government (local or national) employees get a day off of work versus everyone holidays (New Years Day) where just about everyone except 'can't take off' jobs (hospital staff, police, etc) get a day off.

What you describe as 'vacation' is called holidays in my part of Canada. I was just on holidays in canada. I went on holidays to France in Sept. Kids out of school are on summer holidays. Rarely would I call it a vacation.

A funny off topic story for you. When my niece was a baby her family lived in Mozambique. One day her Dad took her for a walk and they met another Dad and his baby. "What is your baby's name?" asked the man "Jessie" said my BIL. The man roared with laughter because a jessie is a jersey or sweater over there. "Well" said my BIL "what is your son's name?" "Cupoftea" said the man.

The word with the "j" -- in those parts, shouldn't it be "malha" (Portuguese)? (Just being a smart-alec )

I have no idea, I'm just repeating his story. It's possible it's a bastardized version of Portuguese.

A funny off topic story for you. When my niece was a baby her family lived in Mozambique. One day her Dad took her for a walk and they met another Dad and his baby. "What is your baby's name?" asked the man "Jessie" said my BIL. The man roared with laughter because a jessie is a jersey or sweater over there. "Well" said my BIL "what is your son's name?" "Cupoftea" said the man.

The word with the "j" -- in those parts, shouldn't it be "malha" (Portuguese)? (Just being a smart-alec )

I have no idea, I'm just repeating his story. It's possible it's a bastardized version of Portuguese.

No matter, anyway -- and I like the story. Was just indulging in annoying-pedant attempted humour !

To totally confuse things: in Glasgow-speak, "a big jessie" means a wimp, or timorous person -- of either gender...

A funny off topic story for you. When my niece was a baby her family lived in Mozambique. One day her Dad took her for a walk and they met another Dad and his baby. "What is your baby's name?" asked the man "Jessie" said my BIL. The man roared with laughter because a jessie is a jersey or sweater over there. "Well" said my BIL "what is your son's name?" "Cupoftea" said the man.

The word with the "j" -- in those parts, shouldn't it be "malha" (Portuguese)? (Just being a smart-alec )

Mocambicuens do also borrow from other languages. First of all, their own languages off course, (I remember até Mudzungu, instead of até amanha) but also borrowed words from other languages.

I remember all the little stands selling cigarettes and such, also all selling chuinga. I never bought it, and had no idea what it was for several months, until I finaly pronounced it one day.

When we in NYC talk about 'the Holidays', we mean the period from late November to New Year's Day.

'Holiday' in the singular can refer to anything from Easter to 'Talk Like a Pirate Day', depending on the person.

'Vacation' usually means a trip of at least a week away from your home base. As I understand it, the term came into being during the 19th century. During the hot months, wealthy people would close down their town houses. Women and children would be sent off to cooler, relaxing places such as the Catskills or Eastern end of Long Island. men continued to see to business. During the week they boarded at their Clubs and visited their families on the weekends.

This was the time that major repairs and cleaning could be done to the city house without discomfort to the family. Because the house was vacated. The summer became known as 'Vacation' and the term filtered into general use.

A funny off topic story for you. When my niece was a baby her family lived in Mozambique. One day her Dad took her for a walk and they met another Dad and his baby. "What is your baby's name?" asked the man "Jessie" said my BIL. The man roared with laughter because a jessie is a jersey or sweater over there. "Well" said my BIL "what is your son's name?" "Cupoftea" said the man.

The word with the "j" -- in those parts, shouldn't it be "malha" (Portuguese)? (Just being a smart-alec )

Mocambicuens do also borrow from other languages. First of all, their own languages off course, (I remember até Mudzungu, instead of até amanha) but also borrowed words from other languages.

I remember all the little stands selling cigarettes and such, also all selling chuinga. I never bought it, and had no idea what it was for several months, until I finaly pronounced it one day.

Marcel, so you've been to Mozambique? I never have; but it's always struck me as a fascinating place. Not big on the worldwide tourist circuit -- but probably that has been largely due to prolonged bad times. Maybe that will change? ...we can hope...

A funny off topic story for you. When my niece was a baby her family lived in Mozambique. One day her Dad took her for a walk and they met another Dad and his baby. "What is your baby's name?" asked the man "Jessie" said my BIL. The man roared with laughter because a jessie is a jersey or sweater over there. "Well" said my BIL "what is your son's name?" "Cupoftea" said the man.

The word with the "j" -- in those parts, shouldn't it be "malha" (Portuguese)? (Just being a smart-alec )

Mocambicuens do also borrow from other languages. First of all, their own languages off course, (I remember até Mudzungu, instead of até amanha) but also borrowed words from other languages.

I remember all the little stands selling cigarettes and such, also all selling chuinga. I never bought it, and had no idea what it was for several months, until I finaly pronounced it one day.

Marcel, so you've been to Mozambique? I never have; but it's always struck me as a fascinating place. Not big on the worldwide tourist circuit -- but probably that has been largely due to prolonged bad times. Maybe that will change? ...we can hope...

I've never been either, my sister lived there for 18 months during the war. She worked on an aid project in the North. She returned 15 or so years later.